Tanzer 16 Locked in irons at the weather mark

Tanzer 16 Locked in irons at the weather mark  --  August 4, 2015 --  I have pointed out several times that it can be difficult to turn the Tanzer 16 in light air.  I believe the Tanzer is a great boat and ideal for the two of us to race.  But it is important to know that the boat is difficult to turn in light air so that you can work around the problem.

The other day we were racing in light air, and IT happened to the other Tanzer just as IT has happened to us a few times. IT equals the boat got locked in irons.  Of course it happened to Eric just as it has happened to me right at the weather mark.  Not much feels worse that sitting there unable to move while the rest of the fleet just sails on to the next mark.

IT seems to happen when you don't have enough headway to complete a turn--even if you hold the jib on the lee side of the boat until the bow has passed head-wind.

I know the skipper of the other Tanzer.  He has a lot of experience sailing, and
he agrees that the Tanzer can be tough to turn.  We both used to own San
Juan 21's and felt that the Tanzer was almost as difficult to tack in very light
air--maybe more difficult than the SJ.

There isn't much more frustrating than just sitting there while the rest of the fleet moves on.  So here is my personal list of ways to avoid this situation. (It is a short list--it only has one item--so maybe it isn't a list.)  I am still pretty green at sailing the Tanzer so I offer it with the caveat that it may be worth what you paid for it.

Don't try to tack if you aren't moving fast enough.  That seems simplistic and even counter intuitive. But if you know the boat won't turn, don't try to turn it.  It you have to, sail well past the mark; then gibe.  In very light air the boat will often keep moving down wind through the turn.  This may not make your crew happy, and the rest of the fleet will wonder what in the heck you are doing. It does look very odd, but it works better than sitting there unable to move.

If you see a puff coming, stay on the same tack until it arrives.  I know it seems silly to keep sailing past the mark when you are barely moving anyway.  But again:   if you know the boat won't turn, don't try to turn it.

After you have been locked in irons a time or four this will seem like better advice.

Until then --what to do when you are stuck in irons.  The only thing that seems to work for us is use a boat hook and push the jib out as far as you can and hope that it will turn the boat one way or another. Then all your efforts should be focused --not on the race--but simply getting the boat moving again. Then you can rejoin the race, or just head back to the committee boat with your spinnaker tucked between your legs.

Sometimes you will get lucky, and the wind will fill in from the weather end of the course first.  Then maybe you can catch up with the fleet.  Sometimes they will get the wind first, and you will have a long, lonely ride back to the committee boat.  That will provide plenty of time to contemplate an important principle:   If you know the boat won't turn, don't try to turn it.

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